Mexican cement company "irritated" by Chavez

We reported yesterday that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez had seized the plants and offices of Mexican cement group Cemex in Venezuela as part of his continuing nationalization program.

This morning, the L.A. Times' Marla Dickerson's update reports that:

"Cemex executives Tuesday declined to comment apart from a news release acknowledging the government takeover of its Venezuelan facilities. But Mexico's ambassador to Venezuela, Mario Chacon, made his displeasure clear. Chavez's hard line with Cemex, one of Mexico's most admired companies, has irritated the conservative administration of Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

""As a government we respect Venezuela's decision, but we are obligated to look out for the interests of our companies," Chacon said. "We believe there has been discriminatory treatment against Cemex and we don't understand why.""

Read the whole dispatch on Venezuela vs. Cemex here.

For more on Venezuela, click here.

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Comments

[LatinVoice]

Chavez is out of control.... Where is the CIA when you need them...

[eljefejesus]

Mexico is being too passive, surely there is more room for toughness without falling into Chavez's desire for outright confrontation.